Paul Hobbs has taken on a consulting position with Uruguay's Establecimiento Juanicó. Hobbs is Uruguay's third internationally-renowned winemaking consultant--he now joins Michel Rolland with Bodega Narbona and Alberto Antonini with Bodegas Garzón.

Hobbs and Juanicó finalized their agreement in July 2012. Hobbs has agreed to work with Juanicó on increasing exports, improving existing wines and developing new products for the winery. He will be consulting for the Juanicó's Familia Deicas line of premium wines (Atlántico Sur, Preludio, Massimo Deicas).

“We are thrilled to be Hobbs's exclusive winery client in Uruguay, and excited that he shares our vision for breaking Tannat wines into the international marketplace as Argentina has with Malbec,” said Fernando Deicas, owner of Juanicó Winery and head of operations.

Twice named 'Wine Personality of the Year' by Robert Parker, Jr., Hobbs is a leading consultant winemaker around the globe. In addition to his line of California wines and range of long-standing consultancies in Argentina, Hobbs released his first European wine project in Cahors's Icône Wow in partnership with Château de Mercuès last year.

Upon acquiring Juanicó winery in 1979, Deicas redirected operations toward the creation of fine wines. With research showing climate and soil similarities between Uruguay and France’s Bordeaux region, traditional French varieties such as Tannat, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc were chosen.

Hobbs told WBM he's foregoing comment on Uruguay and Tannat until a harvest has been completed.